Traveller’s Series - Number 41i
January 2015
Yellow Fever Vaccine
Travel vaccines are recommended if you travel to or
work in some countries. Discuss your travel plans
with a public health unit, a travel clinic, or your
health care provider at least 6 to 8 weeks before you
travel.
Most travel vaccines are not covered by the
provincial medical services plan (MSP), so check
with your local travel clinic to find out the cost.
Bring a record of all vaccines you have received in
the past to the travel clinic. Keep a record of the
travel vaccines you receive and take this with you on
your trip.
What is yellow fever vaccine?
Yellow fever vaccine helps protect against the yellow
fever virus. Yellow fever is a viral disease spread by
infected mosquitoes. The vaccine is approved by
Health Canada.
Who should get the vaccine?
If you are travelling to or working in tropical areas of
Africa or Central and South America, you may need
to get the vaccine. Talk to your health care provider
or travel clinic for more information.
For a list of yellow fever vaccination centres in B.C.,
visit the Public Health Agency of Canada at
www.phac-aspc.gc.ca/tmp-pmv/yf-fj/clinicclinique/bc-cb-eng.php.
The vaccine is also recommended for workers
routinely exposed to the yellow fever virus, such as
certain researchers and lab employees.
Adults and children 9 months of age and older can
receive the vaccine, which is given as 1 dose or shot.
It will take 10 days for the vaccine to work and
provide protection from yellow fever. Travel to
tropical areas should not begin before this time.
Vaccine protection lasts at least 10 years. An extra
dose of vaccine is required every 10 years if travel or
work continues in areas where the virus is found.
After you get the vaccine, you will receive a stamped
document called the International Certificate of
Vaccination or Prophylaxis. This document is an
official record and a legal requirement for entry into
some countries. If you cannot receive the yellow
fever vaccine due to a medical reason, you will need
written documentation on official letterhead from
your health care provider or a Certificate of Medical
Contraindication to Vaccination from a travel clinic.
The letter or certificate should state the medical
reason why the vaccine could not be given.
Without the certificate or your health care provider’s
letter, you may be refused entry to the country you
are visiting, or you may be given the vaccine at the
port of entry of the country you are visiting. In some
countries, immunization practices may not be ideal.
The following people should only get the yellow
fever vaccine when travel to high-risk areas cannot
be postponed, and a high level of prevention against
mosquito bites is not possible:
•
People 60 years of age and older. These people
may have a slightly increased risk of multiple
organ system failure after getting the vaccine.
•
People with a serious type of multiple sclerosis
(MS). Yellow fever vaccine may make MS worse
if you have a serious kind. Make sure the health
care provider that is giving you the yellow fever
vaccine knows if you have MS.
What are the benefits of the vaccine?
The yellow fever vaccine is the best way to protect
against the yellow fever virus, a serious and
sometimes fatal infection.. For more information on
preventing mosquito bites, see HealthLinkBC File
#41f Malaria Prevention.
What are possible reactions after the
vaccine?
Vaccines are very safe. It is much safer to get the
vaccine than to get yellow fever. Common reactions
to the vaccine may include soreness, redness or
swelling where the shot was given. A mild headache,
slight fever, or aching muscles lasting 1 or 2 days can
occur 5 to 10 days after getting the vaccine.
Acetaminophen or Tylenol® can be given for
fever or soreness. ASA or Aspirin® should
NOT be given to anyone under 20 years of
age due to the risk of Reye Syndrome.
For more information on Reye Syndrome, see
HealthLinkBC File #84 Reye Syndrome.
It is important to stay in the clinic for 15 minutes
after getting any vaccine because there is an
extremely rare possibility of a life-threatening
allergic reaction called anaphylaxis. This may include
hives, difficulty breathing, or swelling of the throat,
tongue or lips. If this happens after you leave the
clinic, call 9-1-1 or the local emergency number. This
reaction can be treated, and occurs in less than 1 in a
million people who get the vaccine.
It is important to always report serious or unexpected
reactions to your health care provider.
Who should not get the vaccine?
What is yellow fever?
Yellow fever is a serious and life-threatening
infection caused by a virus. For every 10 people who
get sick, up to 4 will die. Symptoms include sudden
onset of fever, chills, headache, backache, all-over
muscle pain, nausea, and vomiting. In serious cases,
you may bleed from your nose, mouth, and intestine.
You may also have liver and kidney failure.
Currently, there is no drug treatment for the disease.
Yellow fever virus is spread to people by the bite of
infected mosquitoes that live in the tropical areas of
Africa, and Central and South America. The virus
cannot be spread from person to person, or by
mosquitoes in Canada.
Mature Minor Consent
It is recommended that parents or guardians and their
children discuss consent for immunization. Efforts
are first made to seek parental/guardian or
representative consent prior to immunization.
However, children under the age of 19, who are able
to understand the benefits and possible reactions for
each vaccine and the risk of not getting immunized,
can legally consent to or refuse immunizations.
The following people should not get the vaccine:
•
children less than 9 months of age; and
•
people with a history of thymus disease or
disorder, including myasthenia gravis, thymoma,
thymectomy, or DiGeorge syndrome. These people
have an increased risk of multiple organ system
failure after getting the vaccine. The size of the
risk is not currently known.
Speak with a travel clinic or health care provider if
you have:
•
had a life-threatening reaction to a previous dose of
yellow fever vaccine, or any component of the
vaccine including gelatin, or to latex;
•
a serious allergy to eggs;
•
an immune system weakened by disease or
medical treatment;
•
severe immunodeficiency due to symptomatic
HIV/AIDS or other causes; or if you are pregnant
or breastfeeding.
For more HealthLinkBC File topics, visit
www.HealthLinkBC.ca/healthfiles or your local
public health unit.
Click on www.HealthLinkBC.ca or call 8-1-1
for non-emergency health information and
services in B.C.
For deaf and hearing-impaired assistance, call
7-1-1 in B.C.
Translation services are available in more than
130 languages on request.